To: Board of Supervisors
From: David O. Livingston, Sheriff-Coroner
Report Title: Passware, Inc.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Sheriff-Coroner, or designee, to execute a contract with Passware, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $11,995 for encrypted electronic evidence discovery solutions for the Office of the Sheriff, for the period January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2028.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this request will result in up to $11,995 in contractual service expenditures over a 3-year period and will be funded 100% by the General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Passware, Inc. provides a software tool for password recovery and cracking that can overcome the encryption of digital evidence for the Office of the Sheriff. No other company offers comparable capabilities. This software has proven essential for evidence collection and criminal prosecution. Passware, Inc. integrates with existing software licenses, including Magnet Axiom. When combined with other tools already in use by the Sheriff’s Office, the department has the capability of decrypting and recovering passwords from all types of digital evidence.
The department is seeking approval of this retroactive contract due to an administrative delay caused by the substantial number of new contracts the Office of the Sheriff is currently handling.
The Software License Agreement includes a limitation of liability and indemnification from the County to the Contractor.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If the Board does not approve, it may result in the loss of collecting and preserving valuable evidence for the Office of the Sheriff.